


You'll Be My Always

by eviesthirlwzll



Category: Descendants (Disney Movies), Feel The Beat
Genre: F/F, also please do NOT assume that there will be smut or anything, okay dont come @ me i dont know what tag and fandom to put this under in, sure there would be some curse words from time to time but that's the only mature thing in this book, this has the same tone as the movie, this is a gays event only, this is mevie with other names pls, welcome to new hope wisconsin, yall better watch feel the beat istg, yes i changed her name from june to may
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-21
Updated: 2020-06-25
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:14:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,291
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24842125
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eviesthirlwzll/pseuds/eviesthirlwzll
Summary: April didn't really think things through when she finds herself face to face with the one girl that's stolen her nine little kids."If it isn't April Dibrina. What are you doing here?""I'm sorry but who are you and what are 𝘺𝘰𝘶 doing here?""I'm Amelia Parker. I'm New Hope Dance Studio's new teacher."
Relationships: April Dibrina/Amelia Parker, Evie/Mal (Disney)
Comments: 13
Kudos: 35





	1. Chapter 1

April Dibrina, the broadway sensation of a new generation. A dancer, a leader, a teacher. Not the triple threat people usually throw around but don’t be mistaken, don’t be deceived by what she looks like because she  _ is _ a triple threat. 

She sits inside her dressing room, staring at her iPad blankly as she awaits for any call, any text message. Literally just anything from the nine little kids she calls her second family back home. Her nine little commitments. 

She’d been the star of yet another show and to others, it might seem tiring—boring, even, but to her it doesn’t get old. Every opening of the curtain, every light, every single dialogue, every single step, jump, wave and turn. None of them gets old for her. It never will. 

“April, we’re all heading to get out and have some drinks, you coming?” One of her castmates, Zander, asks as he knocks on her door, removing her attention from the piece of technology in front of her. 

And let’s get one thing clear, alright? If this April was the same one who didn’t go back home and wasn't used to being surrounded by children, she would’ve ditched her iPad and be ready to grab drinks in a heartbeat.  _ This _ April Dibrina however, she was different. 

She turns back to face him, offering him a smile as she unclips the pin on her hair, “I’ll try to catch up. I don’t really drink.” She answers, hearing a scoff come from the man, “Whatever you say, April. We’ll wait for you!” He yells, leaving her alone to sigh and literally smack her face down on her vanity. 

She’s gotten everything she ever wanted, what more can she ask for? She’s the star of a broadway show, hell, she’s the star of  _ multiple  _ broadway shows. People would literally fly out to watch her dance. Tickets of the shows she’s in are nearly the same price as elite broadway musicals.  _ What more can she ask for?  _

Her phone buzzes from her bag and she immediately jumps to take it, literally, any text, any call, anything from home would be such a relief to her. “Thank god.” She mutters as her face softens and her shoulders loosen. 

All that relief was yet to turn into tension once again when she opened the notification. She skimmed over the text, over and over, again and again, each time a little harder, each time a little more painful. 

**_Nick [ 10:38 PM ]_ **

**_Sorry to do this in a text._ **

**_But we have to break up. You’re in New York, I’m in Atlanta, I can’t do long distance. - Nick._ **

At first she didn’t knew how she would react, she didn’t exactly know if she was supposed to cry, if she was supposed to throw her phone or if she was supposed to act like nothing has happened but one thing was for sure. She was sure she wasn’t okay. 

For a second there, she considered packing up and flying to Atlanta. She nearly pulled a Nick until the next second came where she considered flying home, then the next she considered taking the offer to drink but at the last absolute second, she shakes her head, sitting back down on her chair as she holds her phone. 

But honestly, though, she knew that it was just a matter of time before everything ends. They were a ticking time bomb and were only waiting for one of them to explode. To give up. To tell the other that they weren’t happy anymore, that they couldn’t do it anymore. 

April was just surprised that it wasn’t  _ her _ who gave up first. That it wasn’t her, April Dibrina, the same girl that pushed a lady off a stage, the same girl who  _ danced in the streets of New York _ to gather Welly Wong’s attention, the first one to let go. 

“Keep it together, April.” She mumbles, taking deep, long breaths as she wills herself to stand up and ignore the pain inside her chest. Well, there’s actually no pain, she’s just ignoring numbness and— she doesn’t feel anything. 

And it’s like whatever the fuck she was before was coming all back to her because suddenly, she’s incapable of showing and saying what she actually feels that she anxiously hails a cab, too afraid that she might steal another taxi from another important person that could ruin her career. 

She was so scared that she’ll go back to her old patterns of not caring and not being able to project her feelings that she becomes hard on the kids again. It scares her so bad that she doesn’t take a cab and instead walks home, even stopping by on some of the stores to grab cheese and cheese flavored snacks to make her feel like she was back at home. 

“Oh my god! You’re April Dibrina, can I have your autograph?” She hears below her, she was too caught up in her mind that she didn’t even realize she was just staring at her apartment building’s door. There was a kid in front of her, probably around Zuzu’s age, giving her a smile and a look of admiration. 

“Oh- you want  _ my _ autograph?” She asks disbelievingly, staring at the kid as she nods her head eagerly, “Sure! Sure. What’s your name?” She smiles, putting the bag of cheese down as the kid excitedly hands her a pen and a piece of paper, “Evie.” 

April stares at her with a glint in her eyes, smiling brightly as she uncaps the pen, writing the girl’s name on the paper with a little note, telling her to believe in her dreams, to never give up, really, she nearly wrote a paragraph before Evie’s mother calls her back. 

“Someone’s famous.” Again, she was so caught up at watching the kid walk away with her mother that she doesn’t even see Deco taking her bag of groceries. She turns around, giving him an eye roll as he gives her a slightly offended look. 

“I’m not famous. And by that I mean, I’m no Idina Menzel. I’m no Lea Salonga. I’m just April Dibrina.” She mutters, taking her keys from inside her pockets as he tilts his head, shaking his head incredulously at her. 

“ _ Just April Dibrina? _ Baby girl, you’re  _ the _ April Dibrina. You’re a star, what’s keeping you from admitting that?” He asks silently, handing her the bag of groceries as she sighs, shaking her head and avoiding to look at him in the eye as she smiles sadly, “I’ve been expecting it. Actually, I was just counting down the days before he tells me.”

Deco stares at her, “What?” He asks confusedly as she shakily laughs, “Nick and I broke up. He broke up with me the same way I broke up with him in high school and I just realize how much of a dick move it is. Maybe this is the world telling me to start a show about not dumping someone through text.” She mumbles the last part to herself as she pushes the buttons of the elevator, Deco smiles. 

“He doesn’t deserve you, honey. Men are trash, believe me.” He chuckles, earning a small laugh from her before the doors close shut. She whistles a tune on the way up, taking a bite of her block of muenster cheese until she reaches her apartment. 

It was a small space, sure, but, she’d rather know she can buy all the cheese her heart desires rather than pay for a big flat when she’s all alone. It’s practical. It’s not like she’s living with a family or anything. 

She does her nightly routine which consists of stretching, taking a shower, stretching, again, eating and then calling her dad to check in on how things were back at home. She walks outside of her apartment, closing the door and sitting down on the ground as she calls her dad from the hallway. 

It took him a few rings before he answered, greeting her with a small, “Hello,” as April smiles, “Hey, dad.” She greets, finally exhaling the breath she was holding in as he chuckles, “Sarah told me what Nick did.” 

“Of course he’d tell her and she’d tell you.” She mumbles annoyingly as she leans her head back, Frank could only laugh, “You deserve to be treated better, honey. If he couldn’t handle that then how can he handle things in the future?” 

“He can’t. It was obvious, he was right. We wouldn’t have worked out anyway.” She replies, taking yet another deep breath, “So how’s home? The kids?” She asks, hoping that they’d be good. They’re the only good thing she actually loves right now and she doesn’t know if she could handle it if they weren’t in a good condition. 

“Kari’s grown taller. Maybe even taller than me.” He answers with a laugh as April smiles, happy to hear some good news, “Zuzu also learned to play the piano with Lucia and Oona’s help. Ruby started to paint and well, June’s staying with me for the time being.”

“Yeah? How’s that?” She asks, intrigued by the little girl’s stay at their home when Frank furrows his eyebrows, “You don’t know? Barb’s in New York, sweetie. She’s been hired for Hairspray.” He answers as his daughter chokes on air, “She’s what? Who the hell is teaching the kids then? Oh my— you know what, bye, dad, I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” 

And just like that she’s made up her mind. Forget the parties, forget the table reads, there are nine little children who need her back home and there is no way in hell that she’s going to stop them from learning and doing what they love. 

“Baby, April, honey, where are you going?” Deco asks groggily in the middle of the night when he hears some grunts and wheels, April could only turn to look at him for a mere second before smiling. “Home.”

And look, maybe what she did was the stupidest thing, I mean, who the hell is going to pick her up from the airport at four in the morning? Who even goes to Wisconsin at four in the morning? 

She closes her eyes, hailing a cab, “Where to?” The driver asks as April takes a seat inside. “New Hope and make it quick.” She answers. Maybe this wasn’t the best idea and maybe she’d skip tons of rehearsals and chances to audition but that can pass. Dance, Dance, Dance is in a few weeks and hey, she’s not letting those golden roaring kids take their spot only because she wasn’t there for them. She asked for commitment, she got it, so, what else can she do but commit too?

When someone knocked at the Dibrinas’ door at five in the morning, Frank was a hundred percent sure that it could’ve been Buzz or even Patty. The least he could’ve expected was to see his daughter, right in front of him with three pieces of luggage and a bag of groceries. 

“When you said talk to you later I expected a call and not for you to fly out here.” He mutters, welcoming her with a hug which she returns quickly, “Nice to see you too, dad.” 

“I would say I’d prepare you some breakfast but it looks like you’ve already eaten a block of cheese.” He yawns, staring at the blue wrapper that his daughter was holding. April could only smile sheepishly and hide it as Frank sets her luggage aside. 

“June is using your room. She usually gets up at seven, be quiet.” He tells April sternly as she nods, already running up to the stairs and opening the door to her room to see the little girl. She wasn’t asleep. 

She was standing up, dancing, doing a perfect pirouette like she’s done it her entire life. April would’ve been lying if she said she wasn’t a little tearful seeing the girl go from a toddler that can’t even raise her arm properly to become a girl that literally did a star lift. 

“Guess who.” She whispers loud enough for the kid to hear, making her jump and nearly fall on her leg when she sees April, leaning on the doorway with a big smile and open arms. 

June doesn’t even hesitate to run up at her and pull her in a hug. “You’re home!” She yells gleefully. At first, during the flight, April wanted to turn back, thinking that this wasn’t worth it but then— but then this happens. 

“I heard your mom’s gone for a while. Who’s teaching you to dance?” She asks quietly as she tucks a strand of stray hair behind the kid. “There’s a new teacher there.” 

And look, maybe she is jealous that someone has replaced her for the time being but hey, what can she do right now? It’s not like they’re holding a class at five in the literal morning. 

“Go back to sleep, June. I promise, I’ll go with you to the studio today.” She smiles, tucking her back into bed. She falls asleep pretty quickly, giving her enough time to think of who the hell can ever replace her. 

  
  


* * *

  
  


“Where are you girls going?” Frank asks suspiciously when he sees April and June all ready to go, both wearing casual wear, obviously headed to the studio. His daughter stops and smiles at him, “I’m going to my students, they need me. I’ll see you later, dad!” 

And just like that they were out of the door, already headed to the dance studio when April sees a guy working on their barn. “Um, hi, who are you and what are you doing here?” She asks, tilting her head as she opens the truck’s doors for June. 

She also sees another girl in cornrows, reading a book with her headphones in her ears as the boy turns around, “Oh, hi! You’re April, aren’t ye? Frank’s daughter?” He asks with a smile, wiping his hands on a rag as she nods, “Yeah? And you are?”

“I’m Andrew. The lass is Athena. I work for your dad, fixin’ his barn since Nick the Dick left.” He grumbles the last part, thinking it was left unheard by the dancer as she nods uneasily, “Okay, then. Nice meeting you, I guess?” She mumbles, entering the truck and starting it before heading to the studio. 

It was a pretty short drive and they were there within minutes. June was quick to rush inside, keeping a promise not to tell the rest that April was back as she enters a few minutes behind her. 

She sees a boy, probably a little older than Sarah, sitting down on the reception desk as he plays games on his phone. She pays him no mind as she enters the studio, crossing her arms to see all nine of them on the barre, stretching. 

Nobody notices her at first until she locks eyes with Oona, causing the girl to choke and point at her, successfully attaining the other kids’ attention towards her. “Miss April!” Michelle and Ruby yell simultaneously before running towards her. 

And look, it was a cute little moment. A happy moment, to see all of them rush towards her with huge smiles on her face. To even see Sarah, of all people, run towards her and hug her happily despite breaking it off with her brother. 

That moment was cut short when she heard someone clear her throat. And just like that, she finds herself face to face with a blonde, slightly smaller than her, green eyes, pale skin. Just like that, she finds herself face to face with the one girl that’s stolen her nine little kids from her. 

“If it isn’t April Dibrina. A surprise, really. What are you doing here?” She asks, her voice was steady and her gaze never faltered. Not even for a single damn second that April’s confidence actually faded for a second. 

“I’m sorry, but who are you? And what are  _ you _ doing here?” She retorts, squinting her eyes at the blonde as Zuzu signs a word, “Awkward,” she signs, earning nods of approval from her friends as the two have a staredown. 

“I’m Amelia Parker, the kids call me May. I’m their new dance teacher.” 


	2. Chapter 2

Her alarm rings, over and over, the same, irritating guitar riff going on and on until she finally taps her phone repeatedly. Los Angeles, they said, was called the, “City of Angels,” yeah, no, she thinks that’s bullshit. 

Amelia Parker sits upright with a yawn, staring blankly at the wall she’s used to seeing for the past eight years she’s lived in Los Angeles. Originally, she lived in Wisconsin, New Hope, specifically and, she can deny it all she wants but sometimes she would sit and think at how their town was right now. 

“Good Morning, honey! How are you?” Her mother, Katherine Parker greets as she sits on the stool, rubbing her eyes and scrolling through her feed as the older woman hands her her breakfast. 

“Morning, mom. I’m fine.” She mumbles, poking the pancakes back and forth until her mother takes her phone from her, “May, I have to talk to you.” She sighs, leaning on the counter as the blonde tilts her head, finally taking a forkful of the pancakes. 

Katherine could only stare at her daughter, her eyes never leaving the same green eyes her father once held before taking off, leaving them all alone to fend for themselves in order for his “career,” to not be ruined. 

Some might say that it was a catastrophe, a  _ disaster _ , that her husband, her daughter’s father, the man she called the love of her life had left them all alone to chase his dreams, left them all alone as he pretended that they never exist. 

But to her, to  _ them _ , it was a blessing. Without him leaving, they wouldn’t have moved to LA, Amelia wouldn’t have graduated early, she wouldn’t be as passionate in dancing as she is now. And, hey, without him leaving them, without him leaving the town, they wouldn’t be able to return. 

“We’re moving back to New Hope for the summer.” She tells her daughter slowly, word by word, silently, not wanting to startle her with the information when May chokes, clutching her throat as her mother hands her the glass of water. “We’re  _ what? _ ” 

Nothing could’ve been worse for her. Like, sure, she wonders how the town was doing but that’s it. She  _ wonders _ . That never meant that she would want to go back there. “You’re joking, right?  _ He _ lives there, mom.” She argues, wiping the dribble off of her chin as her mother sighs.

“Your father left the town a few weeks after we did. I should know, Jonathan told me.” She replies, handing Amelia her rag as the blonde furrows her eyebrows, “Jonathan? Who’s Jonathan?” She grumbles, still wishing that this was all a joke when her mother gasps. 

“ _ Amelia Jane Parker _ , you did not just ask me who Jonathan is! He’s your godfather for Christ’s sake.” She says incredulously as May leans away, a little taken aback by her mother’s reply when she tries to remember who the man is. He doesn’t remember him but she does remember his son, Andrew. 

“I’m still not moving back, mom. I don’t care if it’s for the summer or anything,  _ this _ is my home. My life literally revolves around here.” She argues, standing up and stuffing her face with the final pancake before placing the plate inside the washer, Katherine crosses her arms.

“You’re moving and that’s final. I don’t care if you’re of legal age, I need you there.” She tries convincing her daughter, Amelia could only scoff and shake her head, “You don’t need me, mom. You’re the strongest person I know, you can handle it alone.” 

“Maybe I can but Peter obviously can’t.” She responds and that was enough to make the blonde stop in her tracks, turning around and squinting at her mother as the older woman raises an eyebrow, “Peter’s coming with us?” 

“He wouldn't go without you. You’re his superhero, wherever you go, he goes.” She replies, walking towards the younger Parker and hugging her, May could only sigh and close her eyes. “Fine. I’ll- I’ll go tell him.” 

Katherine could only grin at her daughter as she headed to her room to pack her bag and take a shower. It might’ve been bad that she had to use Peter to have her go back to their hometown but hey, whatever works. 

“Wait, mom, before I leave, we’re not broke, aren’t we?” She asks as she was halfway out the door, calling out to her mother who could only laugh at her, “No we’re not. Now go, Peter must be waiting for you!”

Speaking of Peter, he sits down outside a coffee shop in downtown Los Angeles, a cup of coffee on one hand, a vape pen on the other. He was sixteen, he’s not that mature, he wasn’t ready to commit to anything. 

He wasn’t ready to do business school, he wasn’t ready to take his family’s business, he wasn’t ready to become the man his family wants him to be. “What the fuck are you doing?” 

The moment he hears the blonde’s voice, he turns it off, inhaling the puff of air he kept inside his mouth as he pockets the pen, coughing, he turns to her, smiling and grimacing when he sees some smoke escaping, May glares at him. 

“Hi, M-May! Didn’t see you there.” He stammers, scratching the back of his neck awkwardly as she takes a seat in front of him, putting her own cup of coffee down, “What the hell?” 

Peter could only look away as he sips his coffee, avoiding her gaze at all costs, “You said you have something to say, what is it?” He asks, immediately diverting the topic from him back to her, the actual reason he even took a shower and wore decent clothes. 

“Mom and I are going back to Wisconsin,” She starts, pausing for a while that Peter turns to her, eyebrows furrowed and about to ask her when, how and why when she lifts a finger up, pointing at him with a smirk, “And you’re coming with us.”

At first, he wasn’t sure to react that he just laughs it off, “No I’m not. I’m staying in LA.” He chuckles, staring at her disbelievingly until she raises an eyebrow, “Mom said you’re coming.”

“No I’m not.” He replies again, now glaring at the girl as she glares back, “Ask your mom.” She mutters, reaching for his phone which she successfully swipes from the table, contacting his mother’s number immediately. 

Louise Taylor picks up almost immediately and May couldn’t help but greet her with a chirpy, “Hello!” as she smirks at Peter, “May, oh, did your mother tell you abou—?” Her question was cut off when the blonde nods eagerly, eyes never leaving Peter’s, “About moving back to Wisconsin for the summer? Yeah, I’ve been told. Your son, however, he was wondering if he would come.” 

At that moment, she puts it on speaker phone, giving him a smirk as his mother laughs, “Of course he is! Please tell him he’s going and please tell him that he’s only allowed to bring his phone and nothing else. No Switch, no iPad, he’s been slacking off of school already.” 

Peter could only pale and grumble under his breath as May shoves his phone back at him, smirking and showing off her dimpled smile as he glares at her, “You heard her, you’re coming. I’ll see you at the airport and I,” She stops, leaning towards him as she takes the vape pen from his pocket, Peter tries grabbing it, she leans back, “I will be holding on to this.”

“That isn’t even mine!” But it was too late since May was up on her feet, turning around as she dropped the pen to the ground, crushing it with her foot before sending Peter a smile, “You’re not relieving stress, Pete, you’re just ruining your lungs.” 

With one last look over her shoulder, she says: “I’ll see you, New Hope’s looking forward to meeting you.” 

  
  


* * *

To say that the flight back home was anxious filled, on May’s part at least, was truly an understatement. Last time she saw the town, she was sixteen, Peter was eight, she still knew where her father was and all she wanted to do was dance, never in a million years did she ever think that leaving the town and then coming back to it would give her so much fear. 

“Scared?” Peter asks beside her as she opens her eyes, finally registering the fact that she was three thousand feet up in the air. She can’t really have the plane to turn back and return her to Los Angeles, she can’t really jump out, so, yeah, she was scared. 

“A little. You?” She replies, turning to him with a small smile as he chuckles, “I’m going to be honest with you. I barely even remember the town. The only thing I remember is that I’d always hang out at the Dibrinas’ barn.” He answers, closing his eyes as he puts one of his earbuds in, not being able to see May tense. 

“It’s going to be a long five hours, go to sleep.” He suggests as she agrees, nodding her head and closing her eyes, ignoring the warning bells that were going off in the back of her mind. 

The town sucks, there’s barely any signal, their town loses every football game and well, it was the home of the devil’s spawn herself; April Dibrina. 

May could only grumble and narrow her eyes at the seat in front of her before falling asleep. Oh little did she know how much she’ll encounter the devil in just a few days. 

“Welcome home, kids.” Katherine Parker greets the moment they land, nudging the two children to wake them up, Peter opens an eye, immediately yawning and nodding his head as he stands up, taking his bag from the overhead bin, accidentally spilling some of his candy to the blonde who only grumbles. 

“Why are you so cranky?” He asks, handing the girl her suitcase as she brushes the chocolate off of her jeans, “Because you woke me up and of all the places I could’ve ended up in it’s this hell hole.” She whispers, following her mother’s tracks as they get off the plane, her cousin could only smile, looking around as they go through all the necessary security measures before going to the baggage carousel, picking up their bags almost immediately. 

Peter and May could only stare at Katherine as she rushes to a man, wearing a flannel and a baseball cap that says, “Churners!” on the front, the blonde could only grimace, remembering the team her high school had. 

“Kids, you remember Jonathan. He used to help your mom and dad around with your business!” She grins towards Peter who can only smile awkwardly and offer a hand, “Uh, hi? I-I’m Peter.” He introduces himself shaking the man’s hand when he ruffles his hair, “Say, you’ve grown old, Pete!” 

“You could say that.” May mumbles under her breath, grabbing Jonathan’s attention as he smiles softly at her, “Still snarky, I see.” He smirks, crossing his arms as he stares her down, May could only widen her eyes, “Not a surprise considering your mother’s still the chirpiest woman I’ve ever seen. Welcome back.” 

She wasn’t able to find the right words because the next thing she knew, Peter was laughing at her as he tugs on her to follow them towards Jonathan’s truck. The town didn’t change much, or at least, from what she remembers. 

The same sign to welcome visitors was still there, the buildings still looked like they were built in the 19th century, cows were still all over the place, it still smells like cheese and well, everyone was still friendly. 

“You lot will be staying with us, hope that’s okay.” The man behind the wheel mumbles, stopping in front of a fairly large house surrounded by fences and trees, presumably a farm from what they see. 

Peter stares in amazement, looking around the field when a dog approaches them giddily, jumping on him, leaving him no choice but to hold the dog up as May laughs at him, “Wow, Pete, you just met him and he already loves you.”

“How do you know that it’s a he? It could be a she, stop misgendering them.” He bites back, frowning when he realizes that May was right when he, uh, touched a certain part  _ down there.  _

“I’m pretty sure you know Andrew. You two grew up together.” The voice of Jonathan Rodriguez echoes around the house when a young man, maybe around May’s age or younger approaches, the blonde could only gasp silently and fight her urge to smile when bluish-grey eyes stare back at her green ones. 

“Well, well, well if it isn’t you!” He exclaims as May drops her bags, rushing towards them to pull him in a tight hug, pulling away after a few seconds to offer her hand, starting their old secret handshake when they were children. 

“I can’t believe yer here.” He mutters, still looking at her as she grins, “I can’t believe you waited.” She smiles back. While nearly half of the school hated her, while nearly half of the school refused to believe she existed, it was always him on her side. It was always him that was willing to hang out with her even if it meant that his existence would also be erased from the school. 

People thought they were dating at one point but the thought never occurred to them. They talked about it, joked about it and was even damn near into trying it when they agreed not to. Soulmates weren’t just lovers and technically, Andrew was May’s and she was his. 

“How about I show you two around what’s changed around town? Yeah?” He offers, putting an arm around the blonde as they turn to Peter who eagerly nods, wanting to actually explore the town he never wanted to be in. 

“Yeah! Sure!” He replies, nodding his head and was already halfway out the door when May and Andrew follow him, the older boy takes the lead, walking in front of them with his hands inside his pockets as May takes a look around. 

“Place still smells like cheese.” She jokes, sniffing the air as they head to the main road, Peter nods while Andrew laughs, “Maybe it’s me. I work in a cheese factory. You know Stevens Point?”

“Isn’t that the town that celebrates cowbell week?” She mutters, crossing her arms as they finally reach the town, Andrew smiles in return, “Yeah. Do you know what cowbell week is, Peter?” He asks, turning to the younger boy who was too distracted by the amount of scenery in their little town. 

“Is it a week-long holiday? Something about cows?” He asks when the other boy laughs, “Kinda. Anyways, I’ve been fixin’ the Dibrina’s farm.” He whispers, enough for May to hear as she grumbles. “Hope you’ve set April’s room on fire.”

“Are you still mad about that?” He chuckles when she dismisses his joke, bumping into a fairly attractive girl who only glares at her, sparing a smile for Andrew, “May, Peter, this is Athena. She’s Patty’s oldest child and she’s been way too busy studying that this is the first time she returns home.” 

“What have I told you about not introducing me to everyone in this town? And was the story necessary?” She grumbles, narrowing her eyes at the blue eyed brunette as she turns to the blonde and the younger boy, “I guess you’re the great Amelia Parker he’s been talking about? I heard you’re quite famous around here.” 

May didn’t exactly know if she should thank her and smile or reply with a sarcastic comment before Athena laughs, “I’m kidding. Andrew babbles on and on about you, it’s nice to meet you.” 

“Well, it’s nice to meet you too.” She smiles back, shaking her hand as Andrew and Peter go ahead of them, “It’s actually a surprise that it’s you he talks about and not this April chick.”

“What did Miss Broadway do this time?” She groans, clenching her jaw as Andrew cackles, “Not too fond of her, aye? She was the reason New Hope even won Dance, Dance, Dance, Dance.” 

“And the exact same reason why they won isn’t here when the kids need them. Kari and Sarah had been stressing out. She isn’t here, Miss Barb isn’t here either. No one’s teaching them and they’re a month and a week away from the competition.” She explains with a little scoff, stopping May on her tracks.

“They need a dance teacher?” She asks, coincidentally stopping in front of the dance studio when Athena nods, “Yeah. Didn’t you hear what I just said?” She laughs. She doesn’t get an answer back because Amelia Jane Parker rushes inside the dance studio. 

It took her a long time before she was able to call Barb and ask her for the job which she immediately agreed to give, knowing May’s background in Los Angeles. It took her a day to meet the kids, another day to get them comfortable, a week to teach them and know the basic things they do. 

It also took her a week before she was standing face to face with the devil spawn herself. She crashed their lesson for the day and when she says it annoyed her, that was an understatement.

“ If it isn’t April Dibrina. A surprise, really. What are you doing here?” She asks, her gaze lingering on the brunette’s brown eyes, April straightens her back as she crosses her arms, staring at the blonde who smirks back at her.

“I’m sorry, but who are you? And what are you doing here?” She retorts, glaring back at her with such intensity that it made the kids take a single step back.

“I’m Amelia Parker, the kids call me May. I’m their new dance teacher.” 


	3. Chapter 3

The two couldn’t take their eyes off of each other. They just stand there, arms crossed, green eyes never leaving brown ones. It was so intense that Sarah had to get in the middle of it, removing her baseball cap off and waving it in between the two of them to break the stare off. 

“Sorry to break your little staring contest but we want to know why you’re back.” She smiles, turning her body to the Broadway dancer as the rest of the kids crowd around her, Amelia could only narrow her eyes at them and move back, she might hate the girl but she found a soft spot for the kids. She’s not that much of a monster to take this moment away from them. 

She takes a seat near the windows, watching as June, Dicky and Michelle, the youngest ones of the bunch, all scramble to sit beside her or on her lap. Honestly, if she didn’t hate every single bone in the other girl’s body she would’ve thought it was adorable, but no, she does. 

“Are you okay?” Sarah asks quietly over the excited chatter of the others, specifically from Lucia and Kari’s frantic interpretation from Zuzu, April could only lift her gaze to meet hers for a second as she nods, “Why wouldn’t I be? I got you guys now.”

The kids quiet down when they hear that, their jaws dropping to the ground, “You said something cute. You’re scaring me.” Michelle mumbles, narrowing her eyes at the older woman who could only smirk. 

“Alright, you kids  _ disgust _ me. Did you really think that I went back home because I  _ missed _ you guys?” She asks, scrunching her face together as all the kids grin up at her. They missed April, but they missed  _ Miss April _ more. 

May looks up from her seat, seemingly surprised and interested by the drastic change in April’s tone, the kids didn’t seem to mind it, though, kinda weird but she brushes it off. “Okay, ladies, last year when we won, I won’t lie when I tell you that I was surprised.” She starts, crossing her arms and walking around as the kids take their seats on the floor. 

May leans forward, closing her phone off and listening intently to the brunette as she places her hands on her hips, “I’m going to be honest here, that was a year ago and from all the video calls we had, you guys suck.” She adds, noticing the way their lips twitch up into a small smile. 

“Is this how you teach?” She asks from her place, catching April off guard momentarily before she turns around to face the blonde with a raise of her eyebrow, “Oh, I’m sorry, did I ask you to speak?” 

“Oh no.” Ruby mumbles, already imagining the worst now that April finally turns, her body completely facing May’s as the blonde stands up from her seat, “No, but did I ask you to crash my class?” She retorts, getting closer with each word. 

“This was never your class. You’re just a replacement.” She bites back, the tension rising with each second as May narrows her eyes, a smirk beginning to form on her lips, “A better one, I assume?” 

“Miss April, can you tell us the rules again? Michelle forgot them.” Kari tries to get their attention, which she successfully did by mentioning April’s rules. For the time being, the blonde leaves her alone as she stands behind her, watching the kids stare at the Broadway dancer in awe.

“Rule number one, focus.” She reminds them, walking around and noticing how they all straighten up, everyone except the annoying blonde she just met a few minutes ago. Said blonde was on her phone, clearly not focusing. 

“Hey, replacement?” She calls out with her arms crossed, May raises an eyebrow, “Drop and give me twenty.” April growls, from the blonde’s perspective, it didn’t come off as frightening, it wasn’t scary to her. Hell, to her it was  _ ridiculous _ , it seemed nothing but a  _ joke _ . 

But the moment the kids heard her,  _ they _ wanted to drop and give her twenty. April yelling at them was one thing but April silently  _ growling _ at someone else other than them? 

“And I should do that because?” She asks, pocketing her phone as April narrows her eyes at her, “Because you’re in  _ my _ class and you weren’t following  _ my _ rules.” She replies. 

It takes them seconds that felt like hours to everyone in the room until May pulls her pants up a little higher before dropping to the ground, doing the twenty push-ups while April turns back around to the kids, “Rule number two, commitment.” 

“Anyone remember the last rule? Zuzu?” She asks, signing it to the girl to which she quickly replies through signing with, “Do exactly what you say.” 

“I can’t believe you make  _ literal kids _ do push ups.” She groans, clutching her stomach as she stands up, April smiles, “Those literal kids can handle it better than you, replacement.” 

“Shut the hell up, Broadway.” She retorts, closing her eyes and caressing her stomach as April smirks at her, “At least I’m on Broadway. Where are you from?” She asks, attempting to be friendly when the blonde huffs, “Not that it’s your business but I’m from LA.” 

“Los Angeles, huh. Explains the snark.” She replies, crossing her arms as she turns back to the children, now on their positions at the barre when May scoffs, “Shouldn’t I be the one telling you that? You’re from New York, right?”

“I’m not snarky.” She answers, facing the blonde and completely forgetting about the children when the other girl laughs, “Who lied to you?” She smirks, “You’re April Dibrina. You’re the “it,” girl. You were the popular kid and you still are. I don’t have to be introduced to you again to change my perspective of you.” 

April was silent for a moment, clenching her jaw as she stopped herself from physically assaulting the blonde, “People change, you know that, right?” She mumbles, looking away from her and facing the kids instead. 

“I don’t need you to prove it to me because I know you didn’t.” Amelia whispers back, shaking her head and retreating back to her seat as April ignores her, taking a step forward as she returns her attention back to the kids. 

She shouldn’t be affected by it, honestly, most especially since it came from a complete stranger. But then, again, strangers would always be the one who would have an honest opinion of you. 

She didn’t know her, she doesn’t want to, but it pains her to know that she’s been that selfish in the past few years that it haunts her until today. Until she’s actually changed.

She drowns all the negative thoughts out with music, moving with it as one that she completely forgets every single thing that surrounded her. Each step she took was another step that would lead them to victory again. 

And she could lie all she wanted but Amelia was captivated, holding off on sending her messages as she watched April sway in time with the music. She looked so peaceful, so  _ innocent _ that it took her everything in her power to act like she wasn’t enchanted by the dancer. 

It took her everything in her power to act like she wasn’t melting inside when their eyes locked for a split second. It took April all she had to act like staring straight at the blonde’s green eyes didn’t mess her up. 

“Uh, would you guys like to try it?” She stops, turning back to the kids who also stare at her in awe, half of them nod eagerly, half of them nod unsurely. Amelia clears her throat, sauntering over the dancer but still maintaining her distance as she looks at the kids, “It’s too complicated, they wouldn’t get it.”

“Yes they do.” April replies, not bothering to look at the blonde’s eyes once more as she faces the kids, May sighs, crossing her arms and raising an eyebrow at them, “Do you guys get it?”

“Yeah. We just need to take a while before we completely get it.” Kari answers for all of them, earning nods of approval from her age group, Dicky, Michelle and June were just sitting there, knowing they’d have an easier routine. 

“I told you. Now why don’t you go teach the young ones and show me that you’re worth having around?” She suggests, finally regaining her composure, patting her back and leaving May alone with the three children as she took the one side of the studio with the girls. 

“So, hi?” She smiles, kneeling down in front of the children. April stares at her for a while, shaking her head as she sees Dicky jump on the blonde’s back. She’s bad, she hates her, she completely despises her but, she can’t deny the fact that seeing her hang out and teach the kids made her smile. 

  
  


* * *

“So, how were the kids today?” Katherine Parker asks as Amelia and Peter enter the home they were staying at. The girl could only huff and hiss as she takes a seat on the table, Andrew raises an eyebrow, “Uh oh, someone’s cranky.”

“Dad, June said she was staying at Patty’s tonight.” April mutters the moment she enters their house, Frank chuckles, “You sound mad, what happened? Kids tire you out today?” He asks as April groans, tipping her head back before chugging the down the bottle of water. 

“April’s back in town.” She grumbles, stabbing her vegetables over and over before taking a bite out of it, clenching her jaw in annoyance as she remembers the smug smile on the dancer’s face. 

“Barb’s replacement pissed me off. Her name’s Amelia Parker.” She sighs, leaning back on her chair as her father places the freshly cooked pasta down their table. Her blood begins to boil at the memory of the girl acting out towards her earlier. 

“April’s back in town? Frank’s daughter? Oh my! You two should work together!” Katherine gushes as Peter silently laughs, knowing for a fact that working with the dancer would be the last thing May wanted to do. She’d rather eat all the cheese from the factory’s Andrew’s been working in. 

Frank smiles at his daughter, “Really? The blonde girl with green eyes? You two should work together. I did hear that she’s dancing in Los Angeles.” He encourages with a smile as April clenches her fist, silently praying that the said girl chokes on whatever she was eating. As if she’d ever work with her. 

“I’d rather go back in Los Angeles and lie down on the asphalt road during the summer than work with her.” She whispers, taking a sip of her drink as Jonathan laughs, “Isn’t that a little excessive?” He asks, May could only widen her eyes, “Please, I’d rather jump off of the Great Canyon.”

“Dad, I’d rather push Welly Wong off the stage while everyone films it. Never in a million years would I work with her.” She replies, stuffing her face with food. No words can express how much she despises the blonde despite meeting her for only a day. Frank laughs.

“She’s literally the most annoying person I’ve met.” 

“That girl is the most insufferable human being I’ve ever encountered.” 

“She acts like she’s the best person on Earth. Okay, you’ve been to Broadway, that doesn’t mean you can boss me around!” 

“She acts like she’s better than me! Okay, sure, I’ve never seen her dance or anything but still!”

“She called me replacement.”

“She didn’t give me a chance to show I’ve changed.”

“She doesn’t even know me.”

“I don’t even know her and she had the audacity to say that to me.” 

Katherine, Andrew, Jonathan and Peter could only stare at the blonde who had just finished her rant, staring at her with either raised eyebrows or dropped jaws. “I hate her, okay?” She mumbles, finally stopping her rant as they nod silently. 

  
“I despise her.” April finishes, her eyes meeting her father’s as he stops himself from eating his fork of pasta, dropping it back to the plate as she lets out a breath. Nodding silently, April blows a puff of air on her cheeks as she stands up, “I’ll head up now.”

“I’m going to sleep. She might be around but I’m still in charge of the studio.” The blonde explains as she stands up, leaving the four alone as she heads to the room she was staying at. 

The two girls could only stare outside of their windows with the cold breeze of the night, under the moonlit sky filled with stars. They hated each other and they didn’t need a reason why but they won’t let that affect the kids. They needed them and if it meant they had to breathe the same air together then so be it. 

  
  


* * *

  
  


“You’re early.” Sarah smiles sarcastically towards April when she enters the studio, her eyes immediately go to the blonde who was busy teaching the three kids with some impressive choreography, the curly haired boy that was in the lobby right beside her. 

May subtly moves her gaze from June to April’s figure, noticing the way she enters the room with such confidence that she was unsure if it pissed her off or if she was amazed by it. 

They worked silently, side by side, not uttering a single word to each other. They didn’t need to. They didn’t  _ have _ to. They just silently agreed that they were doing this for the kids and not for them without actually saying that to each other. 

“That’s it.” April mutters, completely surprised at how quick the kids got the choreography, she turns to May, seeing her grin at the kids and pulling them up into a hug. It was subtle, the look they shared, nodding their heads to agree on the fact that they were both finished. 

The kids cheer for themselves, jumping up and down in glee until Oona stops, narrowing her eyes at the two, “Hold on, who’s going to dance with us on the teacher feature, then?” 

And okay it was a very innocent question from an innocent child but that just ignited another argument between the two as they both say, “Me,” at the same time. 

They stare at each other, sending the other person glares. “I’ve taught them for a year. I’ve won them the competition before and I’m not really planning on holding back into doing it again.”

“Well, guess who filled the holes you’ve left open when you left them?” May retorts, flexing her jaw when April crosses her arms, getting closer to the blonde and was about to throw another insult at her when Kari speaks up.

“What about if you two just danced with us? Work together?” She suggests, earning murmurs of agreement from her friends which even includes Dicky. “Yeah. It would be so fun!” Michelle grins.

And just like that, their harsh stares softened, remembering that they weren’t doing this for themselves but for  _ them _ .  _ The kids.  _

“I guess we could do that.” May mumbles, still hating the fact that it’s her of all people that she had to work with when April nods, “I’m only doing this so we can win.” She answers, tapping back into her Miss April persona as she walks away. 

Yeah, they were doing this for the kids. 


End file.
